In 1863 the Tomah and Lake St. Croix Railroad Company was organized by a number of prominent men from the counties of west central Wisconsin. Joseph G. Thorp and Richard F. Wilson represented Eau Claire county's interest in this railroad. Construction on the road began in 1867 and the line reached Eau Claire in 1870.
The Tomah and Lake St. Croix line was taken over in 1866 by the West Wisconsin Railway. In 1878 the bankrupt West Wisconsin was purchased by the Chicago, St. Paul, and Minneapolis Railway Company. The latter became the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railroad Company after an 1880 merger with the North Wisconsin Railway Company. Subsequently, in 1882, the majority of the stock was purchased by the Chicago and Northwestern Company. Although connected to the Chicago and Northwestern System, the Omaha Road continued to operate under its own name until 1925 and retained a corporate existence until 1972. The Chicago and Northwestern System discontinued passenger service in Eau Claire in 1963.
During its existence the Chicago, St. Paul, and Minneapolis Railway Company laid 177.5 miles of track. The track laid by the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railroad Company (1882-1925) covered 1,648 miles.
The Eau Claire Depot was designed by Charles Frost who is recognized for his contribution to small railroad station design. The depot represents a Richardsonian Romanesque architecture style. The Omaha facilities in Eau Claire served as a primary depot and office for all of the surrounding stations in west central Wisconsin communities.
